Buying Property In New Zealand

Buying a property is one of the biggest decisions you will make, and the legal side should be the easiest part of it.

We act for first home buyers, investors, families upsizing or downsizing, commercial purchasers, and overseas buyers navigating the OIO regime. Whatever stage you are at, before you sign, mid-offer, or already under contract, tell us about the property and we will take it from there.

Our approach: take care of the legal side properly, explain everything in plain English, and tell you what is happening before you have to ask.

Who this is for

First home buyer lawyers

You have saved the deposit, you have received KiwiSaver eligibility confirmation, and the bank has pre-approved you. You are at open homes most weekends. We will walk you through every stage in plain English, answer the same question twice if you need us to, and tell you which special conditions to insist on before you sign.

Property investor lawyers

You know the market. You want a lawyer who moves at your pace, gives you a straight read on the title and due diligence, and gets you to unconditional without unnecessary back and forth. We act for property investors across the country — residential, commercial, and mixed use — and keep the process tight so you can move on to the next one.

Australian, expat, and overseas buyers

The Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 changed who can buy NZ residential land. We work out where you sit before you spend money on a deposit. See also our overseas investment page for the full OIO regime.

Commercial property purchases

We act for purchasers of offices, retail premises, industrial units, and mixed-use buildings. That means a thorough title investigation, review of the sale and purchase agreement and any existing tenancies, advice on the right ownership structure, and confirming the GST treatment is correctly documented in the agreement — fixed-fee estimate provided before you commit.

Trustees and family arrangements

We take the time to understand your background, goals, and desired outcomes before advising on the right ownership structure. That might be a family trust, a company, a partnership, or your own name — and it often involves working alongside your accountant to get the tax and asset protection side right. We make sure the structure is in place before you sign.

Our service covers

Sale and purchase agreement

Whether you are buying at auction, by negotiation, or off the plans, we make sure the agreement protects you:

• Drafting the agreement. Where we are instructed early, we draft the agreement or review it before you sign — at no charge.
• Negotiation. We negotiate the terms directly with the vendor’s lawyer, including price adjustments, remedies for due diligence findings, and any matters that arise before unconditional.
• Clause analysis and recommendations. We walk you through every condition — finance, LIM, due diligence, builder’s report, toxicology — explain what each one means, set realistic timeframes, and make sure the wording is buyer-favourable, not just the standard form the agent handed you. See understanding deposits in NZ for how the deposit and KiwiSaver conditions interact.

Property due diligence investigations

We carry out thorough due diligence on every purchase before you commit. That includes:

• LIM report review. We review the Land Information Memorandum in full — council records, drainage, building consents, code-compliance certificates, known hazards, flood overlays, and any work done without consent. Most buyers do not read these in detail, and most buyers should not have to.
• Title investigation. We examine the Record of Title for every registered interest: easements, covenants, mortgages, encumbrances, consent notices, leases, and statutory restrictions. A defective title can sit unnoticed for decades and only surface when you try to sell. See our piece on defective titles for what we look for.
• Property file review. We review the council property file for any outstanding notices, requisitions, or issues not captured in the LIM.
• Consenting analysis. We identify any works carried out without consent or with outstanding conditions, and advise on the risk and how to address it before you go unconditional.

Commercial property purchases

Commercial agreements are more involved than residential. We review the sale and purchase agreement in detail, advise on the right ownership structure, confirm the GST treatment is correctly documented, and carry out lease documentation analysis — reviewing any existing tenancies, assignment provisions, rent review mechanisms, and obligations that transfer to you on settlement.

Completing the purchase

From unconditional through to settlement and beyond, we manage the entire process:

• Completing legal documentation. We prepare all transfer and mortgage documentation, calculate rates and water apportionments, and ensure everything is in order for settlement day.
• Liaising on your behalf. We deal directly with the vendor’s lawyer, your lender, the real estate agent, and any other relevant parties so you do not have to. Most of our settlements are confirmed by lunchtime on settlement day.
• Post-settlement. We report back with your registered title and a complete record of all funds movement.

Process and timeline

A typical residential purchase with us follows this rhythm. Timings are in working days from agreement being signed.

A standard residential purchase settles 4 to 6 weeks after the agreement is signed, depending on the settlement date agreed in the contract. We tell you what is realistic for your matter at the outset.

What it costs

Fixed-fee estimate, in writing within two business hours of you telling us about the property.

Where we act

We act for buyers across New Zealand. Our team handles property matters in Auckland (including the North Shore, West Auckland, Central, East, and South Auckland), Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Queenstown, and the regions. We also act for overseas buyers, expats, and Australian purchasers buying NZ property remotely.

Buying a property? Tell us about it

Before you sign, after you have made an offer, or once you are already under contract: tell us about the property and we will take it from there.

Fixed-fee estimate, in writing within two business hours.

Insights

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